Game Report: Iowa Hawkeyes 37, Wisconsin Badgers 0

MADISON, Wis. — A closer look at Iowa’s 37-0 win over Wisconsin on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

Turning point

Iowa had a 3-0 lead with four minutes left when Wisconsin’s Hunter Simmons dropped back to pass.

Hawkeye defensive end Brian Allen got past Badger left tackle Riley Mahlman and got his left hand up as Simmons threw the ball. Allen’s deflection fluttered to Iowa sophomore defensive tackle Bryce Hawthorne, who tucked the ball away as he slid to the turf for his first career interception.

Starting at the Wisconsin 24, the Hawkeyes scored in three plays. Kamari Moulton ran six yards for the touchdown, it was 10-0, and that was just the appetizer.

On the Badgers’ second play on their subsequent possession, Simmons threw the ball right to Iowa defensive tackle Aaron Graves, who returned it 35 yards to the Wisconsin 1. Mark Gronowski’s keeper was good for another touchdown, and Iowa had a 17-0 lead before the first quarter was over.

By the numbers

0 — The Hawkeyes still haven’t allowed a score in a third quarter this season.

3 — Iowa forced three turnovers for the first time this season.

4 — Iowa has four straight wins against Wisconsin for the first time since 2002-2005.

21 — It was Iowa’s 21st-straight win when its game was televised by FS1.

37 — The Hawkeyes had their biggest winning margin over Wisconsin since their 41-0 home win in 1968 against a Badgers team that went 0-10. The 37 points were the most Iowa have ever scored in Madison.

100 — This was Iowa’s 100th-straight game that didn’t go to overtime.

591 — The combined weight of Iowa’s Hawthorne and Graves, the duo with first-quarter interceptions, is 591 pounds.

Notebook

* Iowa is without an interception return for a touchdown halfway through the regular season. The Hawkeyes have a streak of 17 consecutive seasons with a pick-6, second among all such active streaks to Utah’s 22. The Utes have a pick-6 this year.

You couldn’t get much closer than Graves did with his 35-yard return of a pick in the first quarter. He was downed a half-yard from the goal line. You can’t have everything.

* Wisconsin fans had their attention a bit diverted Saturday night because their Milwaukee Brewers were playing the Chicago Cubs in the deciding fifth game of their National League Division Series.

Many who attended this game got out of Camp Randall well before the game was over so they could see the majority of the clash between the True Blue Brew Crew against the Cubs.

* The Cheez-It Bowl had a representative at the game. Whether the Orlando bowl will have Iowa in its sights this season is uncertain. Perhaps the Cheez-It Bowl just wanted to be near actual cheese for a change.

Injury report

Wide receiver Reece Vander Zee made his first appearance of the season for Iowa after a foot injury had sidelined him. He had two catches on Iowa’s last drive of the first half, which culminated with a last-second Drew Stevens field goal.

Iowa running backs Jaziun Patterson and Terrell Washington were held out with injuries, as was Iowa’s leading tackler entering the game, linebacker Jaden Harrell.

Wisconsin had 10 players listed as “out” on the pregame injury report, including key defensive backs D-Yoni Hill and Preston Zachman.

Next game

The Hawkeyes host Penn State (3-3, 0-3) on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. The game will be streamed on Peacock. The Nittany Lions — No. 2 in Associated Press’ preseason rankings — have lost their last three games, with the latest a 22-21 home defeat to Northwestern.